Thoracoscopic Discectomy

Technological advances have changed the way the spine surgeon approaches pathology within the thoracic spine. With the advent of endoscopy, reaching the thoracic spine has become technically more challenging, but safer and more effective for the patient. Thoracoscopy was first utilized in the spine in 1910 by Jacobaeus to diagnose and lyse tuberculous adhesions in the lung [1, 2]. Since then, laparoscopy was used extensively in the 1980s to perform cholecystectomies [3]. The advantages of laparoscopy included a reduction in postoperative pain, hospital stay, and recovery time, with a quicker return to work. This success led to the increased interest in and use of minimally invasive techniques in the treatment of thoracic disorders. In the early 1990s, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was used with increasing frequency to treat various pulmonary conditions.